Child caregivers urged to get trained for apt caregiving skills

Child caregivers in Kakamega have been urged to enrol for training to equip themselves with skills in responsive caregiving.

Project Principal Investigator iHELP Rose Opiyo said children should be exposed to attractive items, kindle curiosity, and create connections to their cultural identities, something that can only be offered by a trained and informed caregiver.

The Inclusive Home-Based Early Learning Project (iHELP) is a community-led Inclusive Home-based Play-based Model of Learning in Kakamega.

It is jointly supported by the International Development Research Centre and the Global Partnership for Education.

The two-year pilot project seeks to Increase Early Child Education and Care for Children in Marginalised and rural families.

The Masinde Muliro University and Kakamega county are working with several agencies among them the KICD and Kenya Institute of Special Needs and other partners in the development of Caregivers and Community Council manuals.

Opiyo says the programs seek to generate policy-driven evidence and build unique knowledge exchange platforms based on existing policies and curricula.

It equally aims to advance quality, inclusive early care and stimulation for under 4-year-olds.

“IHELP project recognizes parents families and communities as critical pillars in caregiving and that there is an ever-expanding number of actors connected in collaborative initiatives and learning networks at national and county level but services for remotes villages in child care and stimulation are still scarce," Opiyo said.

She said the curriculum will be adapted based on a triangulation of Montessori, Kindergarten models and other indigenous content including the Community Based Education Curriculum being used by Sense International in Uganda while ECCE Implementing partners will spearhead parental support.

On Monday, Opiyo spearheaded a three-day training workshop meant to equip caregivers with diverse skills in responsive caregiving in the newly established iHELP centres in Kakamega.

“I encourage you to learn as much as you can from this training. Children should be exposed to attractive items, kindle curiosity, and create connections to their cultural identities,” she said.

While acknowledging that the project fosters the inclusivity of all children, Opiyo said parents and caregivers are liable for building a safe and friendly environment for their children.

She urged parents and caregivers to start a conversation about the basic safety measures with their kids at an early stage.

The workshop saw participants taken through proper nutrition and health assessment of children, child safety and protection as a key measure to ensure the safety of children from violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect.

“Although protecting the child at every step is neither possible nor advisable for their development and confidence, there are certain things we can do to ensure the overall safety of our children," nutritional expert Martina Adega said.

"I urge you to ensure the safety of your children in terms of accidents, food, diseases, and injuries."

The training also encompassed systematic demonstrations of material development in childhood education to aid the learning, stimulation and playing of the children while at the centres.

“This is an important lesson for caregivers to develop critical thinking skills for selecting appropriate materials, and producing tools for children during their stay at the centres,”  iHELP project consultant Irene Otieno said.